The Lebanon Valley and the area's egg farmers will be well represented at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll.

It will be the 139th edition of the annual rite of spring, which dates back to 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes allowed a few Washington D.C. children roll eggs on the White House lawn after they were chased from the U.S. Capitol.

Since then it has grown into the the largest single day event at the White House, attracting thousands of visitors who participate in a variety of games and activities, including the tradition of rolling a hard- boiled egg with a wooden spoon on the South Lawn.

This year, the White House is anticipating 21,000 visitors to Monday's egg roll.

Among the representatives attending from the American Egg Board will be Chris Pierce of Annville.

Pierce is the president of Heritage Poultry Management Services, which works with smaller local egg farmers to provide advise and expertise on things ranging from environmental regulations, to animal welfare and food safety.

"Big egg companies have their own employees to provide those services. So we work closely with smaller egg farmers to provide that support," he said. "In other words, we are helping David compete with Golaith."

With the change in administration, there was some concern that the egg roll might have to be canceled because planning for it -- including ordering the 40,000 ceremonial wooden eggs -- was delayed.

But on Thursday, Press Secretary Sean Spicer -- who played the role of the Easter Bunny for President George W. Bush in 2008 -- announced that the White House will be ready.

It's bound to be an egg-citing day.

For the 40th year, the American Egg Board will be donating more than 30,000 hard-cooked eggs from Pennsylvania and Georgia farmers for egg rolling, the egg hunt, egg decorating and snacks.

As they have in past years, the farmers will also bring the egg-production process to life for kids and their parents through AEB’s interactive demonstration “An Egg’s Journey from Farm to Table.”

Planning for the event may have been later than usual, but Pierce said it did not impact the AEB's preparation, which also includes donating hats and aprons for volunteers.

"Whether its the Trump administration, the Obama administration or the Bush administration, there is always a transition," he said. "I was very confident this event would continue. And the Trump administration has been great to work with."

This is the 15th year Pierce has attended the egg roll. When he served as chairman of the AEB, he had the honor of presenting Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama a specially painted ceremonial egg.

"It was very special," he said.

Pierce said this year he is looking forward to working with his daughter ElleAnne, a sophomore at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, at the AEB's "An Eggs Journey" demonstration.

"What I love most about the egg roll is that there are 30,000 people on the President's backyard taking part in a celebration. And it's people from all walks of life and from all across the country," he said. "What is super cool about it is when you see the excitement of the children running through the grass and taking part in so many hands-on activities."

Pierce said it is the family aspect of Easter and the Easter egg roll that makes it special, and he is glad to be part of it.

"Easter is an important part of our industry and ties into all of these activities. A lot of it is developing memories and traditions and values as a family," he said." It is very important to us as American egg farmers to be part of developing and continuing those traditions"

Half of the eggs supplied by AEB will be in the form of 15,000 egg pops manufactured by R.W. Sauders Eggs Inc. of Lititz. The hard cooked eggs on a stick will be distributed to visitors as they leave on Monday, said Paul Sauder, the former president of the four-generation, family-owned business that has been in operation since the 1930s.

The plan called for the incredible edible treats to be manufactured at the company's plant in Greenfield Corporate Center in Lancaster on Friday and be delivered to the White House on Saturday.

"These are the same hard cooked eggs you can buy at Weis or Giant stores," Sauder said. "All we do is take these eggs and put them on a stick."

Sauders employs more than 400 people at its five plants in Pennsylvania,, Maryland and Ohio, which produce about 1.5 billion eggs annually.

The company began supplying cooked eggs for the event when Bill Clinton was president, Sauder said.

"I think just our proximity to Washington D.C. is how it started," he said.

Paul Sauder and his wife Cindy (right), along with then-American Egg Board President and CEO Joanne Ivy, pose for a photo with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama after presenting them with a ceremonial Easter egg at the 2014 White House Easter Egg Roll.(Photo: Courtesy AEB.org)

Sauder won't be going to the White House Easter Egg Roll this year, but he has been to many others and, like Pierce, has special memories of presenting beautifully painted ceremonial eggs to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama when he served as chairman of the American Egg Board in 2014-15.

"It's an awesome experience to be there and see 30,000 kids on the lawn of the White House doing a bunch of different activities, whether its the Easter egg roll or enjoying the entertainment that is there," Sauder said. "It is really neat that egg farmers can be part of that event and kind of bring Easter back to where it needs to be."

Some Facts and Figures about the 139th Annual White House Easter Egg Roll

21,000 people are expected to attend the event. Some, including local school children and military families, were invited by the White House and others received their tickets through an online lottery held in March.

The participants will be divided into five groups, with the first departing at 7:30 a.m. and the last at 4:45 p.m. Each will have two hours to explore the grounds of the White House.

40,000 commemorative painted wooden eggs have been ordered from Wells Wood Turning and Finishing of Maine. Of those, 18,000 will be given to visitors and the rest will be sold to the public. You can purchase them at shop.whitehousehistory.org/holidays/easter

This year's musical entertainment will be provided by The Martin Family Circus and Bro4.

First lady Michelle Obama, center, dances with members of the All Stars from from the television show 'So You Can Dance' during the 137th annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington D.C., on April 6, 2015. Pool photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool

President Barack Obama lifts Stella Munoz into the air while greeting guests on the South Lawn of the White House during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll March 28, 2016, in Washington, D.C. Win McNamee, Getty Images

Fifth Harmony performs the 'Happy Birthday' song from the Truman Balcony to mark the fifth anniversary of Michelle Obama's Let's Move program during the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House April 6, 2015, in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

President Barack Obama reads the book, 'Where the Wild Things Are,' to children attending the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 21, 2014. Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

School teacher and daughter of President George W. Bush, Jenna Bush reads from 'Where the Wild Things Are' during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on March 24, 2008. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

First lady Laura Bush delivers opening remarks from a balcony at the start of the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House April 9, 2007 in Washington, D.C. The annual event was started by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, left, and chef Susie Morrison put the finishing touches on March 29, 2002, on the 45-pound Easter egg and replica of Barney, the president's dog, as they prepare for the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House . Ron Edmonds, Associated Press

President Bill Clinton poses with the Easter Bunny at the start of the annual Easter Egg Roll on April 13, 1998, at the White House. The White House chef has dyed 7,200 hard-boiled eggs for the annual traditional event that dates back to 1878. Greg Gibson, Associated Press

President Bill Clinton handles the starting whistling and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton handles cheer leading chores during the annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn in Washington, April 12, 1993. Ron Edmonds, Associated Press

Children dancing round the maypole at the White House in the 1920s. World War I and food rationing put the White House egg roll on hold, scrambling it from 1917-1920. World War II stopped the festivities again from 1943-1945. National Archives

In the absence of President Warren Harding and Mrs. Harding on April 2, 1923, the first family's pet airedale terrier, Laddie Boy, acted as host for the children who rolled eggs on the White House lawn. National Archives

In 1889, 11 years after the Easter Egg Roll became a White House tradition, President Benjamin Harrison adds music. The United States Marine Band plays as children romp on the South Lawn. National Archives